Stella McCartney (born September 13, 1971 in London, England) is a British fashion designer.

McCartney learned her trade at St Martins College of Art & Design. She was almost instantly successful, with her graduation collection being sported at the graduation show by supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. The show made front-page news, and the entire collection was sold to Tokio, a London boutique.

In 1997 McCartney was appointed chief designer at Paris fashion house Chloé, following in the footsteps of Karl Lagerfeld. Her designs enjoyed considerable commercial success. In 2001 she resigned from the house in order to enter into an eponymous joint venture with the Gucci Group. In 2003 she expanded her brand into perfume.

Stella is the daughter of former Beatle Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, a Jewish American. Some in the press have suggested that McCartney's meteoric rise through the fashion industry was partly helped by her having famous parents. In particular, it has been suggested that Vendome, owners of the Chloé house, appointed her as much for the wave of publicity the appointment would generate as her talent. In recent times, however, most commentators have said that she is entirely capable. Indeed, Vogue magazine wrote that "her first collection for the house Chloé, shown in Paris in October 1997, quickly dispelled any doubts about her talent."

She is now married to Alasdhair Willis and on February 25, 2005 she gave birth to their first child, son Miller.

She is a vegetarian.

External links

• McCartney's official site